This invention relates in general to electrophotographic imaging members and, more specifically, to layered photoreceptor structures with low surface energy overcoatings and processes for making and using the photoreceptors.
Electrophotographic imaging members, i.e. photoreceptors, typically include a photoconductive layer formed on an electrically conductive substrate. The photoconductive layer is an insulator in the dark so that electric charges are retained on its surface. Upon exposure to light, the charge is dissipated.
A latent image is formed on the photoreceptor by first uniformly depositing an electric charge over the surface of the photoconductive layer by one of any suitable means well known in the art. The photoconductive layer functions as a charge storage capacitor with charge on its free surface and an equal charge of opposite polarity (the counter charge) on the conductive substrate. A light image is then projected onto the photoconductive layer. On those portions of the photoconductive layer that are exposed to light, the electric charge is conducted through the layer reducing the surface charge. The portions of the surface of the photoconductor not exposed to light retain their surface charge. The quantity of electric charge at any particular area of the photoconductive surface is inversely related to the illumination incident thereon, thus forming an electrostatic latent image.
The photodischarge of the photoconductive layer requires that the layer photogenerate conductive charge and transport this charge through the layer thereby neutralizing the charge on the surface. Two types of photoreceptor structures have been employed: multilayer structures wherein separate layers perform the functions of charge generation and charge transport, respectively, and single layer photoconductors which perform both functions. These layers are formed on an electrically conductive substrate and may include an optional charge blocking and an adhesive layer between the conductive layer and the photoconducting layer or layers. Additionally, the substrate may comprise a non-conducting mechanical support with a conductive surface. Other layers for providing special functions such as incoherent reflection of laser light, dot patterns for pictorial imaging or subbing layers to provide chemical sealing and/or a smooth coating surface may be optionally be employed.
One common type of photoreceptor is a multilayered device that comprises a conductive layer, a blocking layer, an adhesive layer, a charge generating layer, and a charge transport layer. The charge transport layer can contain an active aromatic diamine molecule, which enables charge transport, dissolved or molecularly dispersed in a film forming binder. This type of charge transport layer is described, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,990. The disclosures of this patent is incorporated herein in its entirety. Other charge transport molecules disclosed in the prior art include a variety of electron donor, aromatic amines, oxadiazoles, oxazoles, hydrazones and stilbenes for hole transport and electron acceptor molecules for electron transport..Another type of charge transport layer has been developed which utilizes a charge transporting polymer wherein the charge transporting moiety is incorporated in the polymer as a group pendant from the backbone of the polymer backbone or as a moiety in the backbone of the polymer. These types of charge transport polymers include materials such as poly(N-vinylcarbazole), polysilylenes, and others including those described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,618,551, 4,806,443, 4,806,444, 4,818,650, 4,935,487, and 4,956,440. The disclosures of these patents are incorporated herein in their entirety.
One of the design criteria for the selection of the photosensitive pigment for a charge generator layer and the charge transporting molecule for a transport layer is that, when light photons photogenerate holes in the pigment, the holes be efficiently injected into the charge transporting molecule in the transport layer. More specifically, the injection efficiency from the pigment to the transport layer should be high. A second design criterion is that the injected holes be transported across the charge transport layer in a short time; shorter than the time duration between the exposure an, d development stations in an imaging device. The transit time across the transport layer is determined by the charge carrier mobility in the transport layer. The charge carrier mobility is the velocity per unit field and has dimensions of cm2/volt sec. The charge carrier mobility is a function of the structure of the charge transporting molecule, the concentration of the charge transporting molecule in the transport layer and the electrically "inactive" binder polymer in which the charge transport molecule is dispersed. It is believed that the injection efficiency can be maximized by choosing a transport molecule whose ionization potential is lower than that of the pigment. However, low ionization potential molecules may have other deficiencies, one of which is their instability in an atmosphere of corona effluents. A copy quality defect resulting from the chemical interaction of the surface of the transport layer with corona effluents is referred to as "parking deletion" and is described in detail below.
Photoreceptors are cycled many thousands of times in automatic copiers, duplicators and printers. This cycling causes degradation of the imaging properties of photoreceptors, particularly multilayered organic photoconductors which utilize organic film forming polymers and small molecule low ionization donor material in the charge transport layers. Such wear is accelerated when the photoreceptor is utilized in systems employing abrasive cleaning subsystems such as cleaning blades. It has been found that in development systems such as single component development systems, early failure of cleaning blades is particularly acute where the drum is utilized has such a small diameter that it must rotate many, many times merely to form images for each conventional size 8.5 inch by 11 inch document. Early cleaning blade failure is especially evident at high temperature and humidity and leads to copier or printer down time and requires costly and time consuming replacement action for the cleaning blade, photoreceptor or an entire customer replaceable cartridge if the cleaning blade is an integral component of the cartridge.
Thus, although photoreceptors meet most electrophotographic criteria, they encounter serious cleaning blade failure problems when used in extended cycling runs, particularly at high temperature and humidity.